Everything Burns
by Zoey Nightrod
Summary: His fire is warm, hers is ice-cold. His fire is proud, hers is shameful. His fire is bright, hers is dull. His fire is everything that hers is not. Drabble; may extend if requested. Features one of my original characters.
1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note: This is just a little something I came up with. I have plans to extend it into a story instead of working on my others since I have no idea where I want to go with them. Of course, I will try my best** **to work on the others. This story is sort of an escape and way for me to work on my writing style. Let me know what you think and if you would like me to extend this. Thank you for reading!**

_As the years pass by before my face  
As wars rage before me  
Finding myself in these last days of existence  
This parasite inside me; I forced it out  
In the darkness of the storm  
Lies an evil  
But it's me*_

_-Demise-_

_Pitter pat. Pitter pat. _

Rain beat down upon the empty sidewalk, keeping the inhabitants of Shizume City inside their residences. A lone figure trudged on the road, arms wrapped around their small figure to hold in what little warmth the dirtied sweatshirt gave them. The faded and torn blue jeans that hung on the slim hips were tattered and worn. They were also soaked through and offered little protection against the biting wind. The figure turned into an alleyway, nearly tripping over a crack in the cement while doing so. They found a spot in the passage were the rain had yet to reach and sat down. The pale arms hugged the bloodied knees to the figure's chest, trying in any way to keep warm. The storm carried on, unrelenting and violent. The form started shivering, teeth chattering and crimson hair dripping water around them.

It was a brisk and chilling evening. The wind nipped at any exposed piece of skin; the rain soaked and froze what the air did not. The weather was not unusual for December. With only a drenched jacket for a shield against the glacial air, the figure would freeze to death before the sun rose the next morning. They knew what fate awaited them in the still-dropping temperature and surrendered. The head burrowed itself in the knees and, hoping that perhaps a miracle would happen, the teen waited for morning to come.

* * *

Later that night the redhead jerked awake, breath coming and leaving quickly. They watched as the small puffs of air rose and faded into the coldness. The figure shivered and drew their legs closer. It had only been two hours at most since they had plopped down at the spot. The sky was still pitch black; stars tried and failed to shine through the cloud cover. The rain had stopped sometime while they were asleep but the air was colder than before. The teen shuddered again. It was still quite a time until dawn would break. The gold eyes blinked slowly as a tiny white speck drifted down and landed on the gray concrete beside them. They stared at the snowflake as it melted into nothing more than a dark spot on the ground.

_Snow..._

The figure began to realize what was happening. A pale hand reached out, turning palm up to allow a white flake to land on the smooth skin. They were surprised at the frostiness of the tiny entity.

_Cold. So cold…_

The yellow eyes stared at the snowflake as it finally dissolved. A frown tugged at the lips.

_Don't go…_

The face changed into a sad expression. Tears welled at the corners of the golden eyes.

_Gone… just like the rest…_

The tears spilled over and streaked down the frozen cheeks. The tracks became frozen and the figure used a jacket-covered arm to scrub at their face. There was a quiet sniffle in the empty alleyway. The figure rested their head on their arms again and closed their watery eyes. A moment later, the breathing became steady as the figure slipped into unconsciousness.

_I don't want…to be left alone…_

_* Poem written by Ben Moody. I do not claim credit. To hear it, try listening to the song 'Field of Innocence' by Evanescence._


	2. Field of Innocence

**Author's Note: Here is the second chapter. Sorry for the short chapters. I want to keep them short because there is going to be many of them and it makes it easier to do more of them quicker. If need be, I will condense the chapters so that two or three chapters are one. Hope you all enjoy!**

_I remember a time when...*_

_-Field of Innocence-_

The figure's head jerked up, the noise of loud yelling catching their attention. They stood up and crept to the corner and peeked out. A boy holding a skateboarder was yelling at a chubby blond breathing heavily a few feet behind him. It was still dark and snowing. The teen was confused as to why anyone would be up at the early hour. Then they saw the design on the bottom of the skateboard and nearly let out a startled yelp.

_Homura…_

The duo started walking away and quietly, the small figure followed. They wandered through the streets, seeming to have no designated destination. Darting from alley to alley wasn't an easy job but the teen managed it. A good time later, a couple more males joined up with the first two and turned down a street, all bearing the Homura mark somewhere on their clothing. The figure blinked and took after them, making sure to keep a safe distance between the group and them. At last they stopped in front of a bar labeled with the sign HOMRA Bar. The group entered and the door closed behind them with a click.

The figure stepped out cautiously and examined the front of the bar from the steps. Hearing a bang and more shouting, the teen panicked and ran into the alleyway next to the building. The skateboarder from earlier threw down the object in their hands and took off, yelling that they would be back soon. The small person trotted deeper into the alley and found a door. Curious, they twisted the handle and was surprised to see that it was unlocked. After glancing around them a few times, the figure slipped inside, seeking to be out of the cold.

They were met with a quiet but dangerous atmosphere. The intruder could tell that whoever occupied the bar held immense power. Slowly, the golden eyes adjust to the dimness. They were in the back of the bar, out of sight. It was quite warm in the building and the figure was happy. It had been so cold outside. In fact, their cheeks and fingers hurt from frostbite. They breathed on the frozen digits gently, hoping to bring some feeling back. Making sure to stay quiet, the figure sat down, sleep tugging at their eyelids. They closed their eyes, barely hearing the approaching footsteps. All they wanted was to sleep and be out of the cold.

_Why can't…they leave me alone…? _

_*The lines at the beginning of each chapter will form a poem. _


	3. Face Down

**Author's Note: Third chapter up! Let me know what you think in a review!**

_(I remember a time when)_

_The world was on fire_

_-Face Down-_

"Falling asleep in someone's bar is quite rude, you know."

The annoyed voice caught the teen's attention and they lifted their head, blinking sleepily. Through hazy eyes they could see the outline of a person but the light was to their back and made it difficult to see. The silhouette bent down and held out a hand. The small figure tried to shrink back from the outstretched limb.

"I'm not going to hurt ya. Just thought that if you were going to doze off, you may want to at least be on more comfortable seating," the voice continued, and the outline shifted slightly. The individual curled on the floor let out a whimper. The owner of the voice sighed.

"Mikoto, would you mind coming here for a second?" A man rose slowly to his feet at the calling and sauntered over lazily, taking his own sweet time. The gold eyes locked on the crouched figure and let out a groan.

"What now?" he grumbled then narrowed his yellow eyes. "Wait. Izumo, are you seeing what I am…?" The question trailed off, leaving it open to interpretation. The bartender let out a sound of agreement.

"Yup. Never told us you had any family around here," Izumo stated, eyes still on the intruder. The Red King frowned.

"I don't," he replied. "Don't have any siblings either." The blond next to him suddenly looked confused.

"Then why does she look so much like you?" Now the question was out and neither knew the answer. The figure cowered deeper into the dim corner. Suoh shrugged.

"Coincidence?"

The redhead yawned, already losing interest in the newcomer. Izumo offered his hand one more time to the girl but she only pulled away, shaking excessively. The blond shook his head and headed back to the bar counter. The Red King sauntered over to the couch and sat down. A few minutes later, he was asleep. Izumo picked up a rag, starting his nightly routine of cleaning the bar. He wiped down the counter and moved on to grab a broom that was leaning on the wall, only to realize out of the corner of his eye that the figure had moved. The eyes behind the purple tinted sunglasses watched as the small teen tiptoed cautiously over to the couch. She stared at Suoh for a heartbeat then laid down and curled up on the empty couch next to him. Izumo smiled.

"Looks like you have another fan, Mikoto."

_It's... so warm…_


	4. Naive

**Author's Note: I'm back! Anyone miss me? (Joking) Anyway, here is the next chapter of Everything Burns. To those who waited such a long time, I'm sorry! So many things (*cough* school *cough*) kept me busy. I will try to update this story around two times a week since its chapters are short and I will be able to write up more of them. As for the others, I will work on them. They are not alone, I promise! Now, enjoy the next chappie!**

-Naïve-

Mikoto woke up a short time later, images of burning cities flashing behind his eyelids whenever he closed them. With a groan, he started to get up but was stopped when a weight on his legs kept him from moving. The redhead glanced down to see that the teen from earlier was lying beside him, her head resting on his lap. He blinked, once then twice. Hesitating, he lifted his hand and placed it on the figure's shoulder. The Red King shook the small shoulder to wake her so that he could move but the only response he received was a quiet whine and the girl snuggled closer to him. Mikoto sighed, rolling his eyes and behind him there was a laugh.

"Mikoto," the bartender chuckled, setting down a glass. "Do you want some help?" The said man merely grunted in reply. There was the muffled sound of footsteps and Izumo came around the corner of the couch, a smile in place. The blond lifted the sleeping teen enough so that Mikoto could slip past her then set her back down. Stretching his arms with a yawn, the King strode over to the bar counter top and sat down. Izumo quirked an eyebrow in question. Before he could say anything, the teen stirred with a sleepy mumble.

"Mm. . ." She blinked rapidly, trying to clear her golden eyes. The first then her eyes landed on was the blond bartender, who surveyed her with soft brown eyes hidden by purple sunglasses. Her mouth shaped into a small 'o' before whipping around wildly as she sat up, a look of worry shaping the features. Izumo pointed over her shoulder to the stools.

"If you're looking for King, he's right over there," he said, pulling at the crimson scarf around his neck. The teen leapt off the couch and suddenly, her feet left the ground. She let out a surprised squeak. Izumo let her dangle in his grasp for a moment before eyeing her warily.

"Who are you," he murmured quietly, nearly to himself. "And why do you look so much like him?" The yellow orbs stared back at him, surrounded by a ring of white.

_Creak._

The floorboards let out a moan of protest as Mikoto headed back over to the duo, all previous thoughts of a drink gone. Izumo waited a moment then glanced over at him. The girl squirmed, noticing the new addition to the small group.

"I'm still waiting for an answer, y'know," Izumo said, his accent covering the words. Mikoto grunted and stuck his hands into the black jacket pockets. The young woman hung her head and mumbled something. Izumo frowned. "What was that? I couldn't hear you so please speak up."

". . . Suoh Mikoto," she muttered again, avoiding their gazes. The blond nodded.

"Yes," he replied patiently. "Now, why do you look like him? Are you his long-lost sister or something?" Mikoto stifled an amused chuckle. A hint of red colored the teen's colorless cheeks. She shook her head.

"Suoh Mikoto," she repeated, more firmly this time. The redhead reached over and flicked her on the forehead and the girl jerked back as far as she could go while being held up.

"You already said that," he grumbled, growing annoyed. "If you don't answer. . ." He raised a hand and it spontaneously combusted into flames. Behind the dancing blaze, something in the golden eyes sparked. However, the girl just stared at his hand, captivated. Izumo glanced back and forth between the two and shook his head.

"We're getting nowhere," he groaned and threw her back onto the piece of cushioned furniture. Mikoto narrowed his eyes and reached for the girl, all intent of burning her clearly in his scorching gaze. Izumo stopped him, his hand snaking out to grab the other's wrist. A growl rumbled in the King's chest.

"Let go, Izumo," he snarled and his second-in-command obeyed, though reluctantly.

"Don't hurt her," the blond warned. "The last thing we need is to rush anyone to the hospital." Mikoto sneered, a touch of vehemence pulling at the corners of his mouth.

"No need," he whispered, causing Izumo's gut to twist. "No blood, no bone, no ash . . . _remember Izumo?_"

And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving a stunned Izumo behind to deal with the stranger. The man's eyes flickered to the teen, expecting to see horror written all over her face but was greeted with an even scarier image.

She stared after the Red King, the last remnants of his crimson flames still reflected in her golden gaze, a familiar smirk curling its way up her lips.

Suddenly, Izumo felt cold and he shuddered, knowing it was only the beginning.

_The madness of the Red King envelops in flames all who hold the throne. . ._

**Author's Note: For those who think that Mikoto is OOC and a bit too much on the sadistic side this round, here is my explanation: Mikoto, as the Red King, struggles with controlling his power and not hurting the people he loves. Therefore, I believe that a darker side of him would come out sometimes, especially when he was angry or annoyed. When it does happen, he would revel in his power and enjoy fighting (especially other Kings). I hope that this makes since and that I wasn't the only who noticed this in the anime/manga! Thanks for reading and please drop a review! **


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